Amour et Révolution
by TsundereHeavyCruiser
Summary: France 1848-Kira Tsubasa is working as a singing instructor for some of the Capital's finest sopranos. But in the streets and the factories one word is on everyone's lips "Révolution" Watch the usual cast try to navigate these confusing and dangerous times. Perhaps on the barricades of Paris love shall also blossom. [TsubaHono] [background UmiMaki] placeholder cover art.
1. Chapter 1: Sleeping on a Volcano

**A/N: So Here we are again with me putting our favourite idols in an obscure historical setting, except this time its even more obscure than WWII.**

 **Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen, Yuri Lovers of all stripes to The French Revolution of 1848!**

 **The French revolution of when? I hear you ask. Well the idea sprang to me when I noticed that all of TsubaHono is based on the idea of Tsubasa being drawn in by our favourite leader's charisma. I suddenly realised that she would be the perfect person to rally people on the barricades to the cause of Revolution!**

 **plus it would make for some nice Les Mis style romance (minus the singing)**

 **Why 1848 and not 1789? because I like obscure revolutions and this was the year of obscure revolutions plus I had more research on 1848 available to me than on 1789.**

 **So sit back and enjoy the ride as France and Europe descend into madness. With our Idols right in the centre of it all.**

 **But first something a little lighter, the reform banquets of 1847-8 (next week we get revolution)**

 **Glossary at the bottom as usual.**

* * *

Amour et Révolution: Sleeping on the Volcano

"I believe that right now we are sleeping on a volcano…can you not sense by a sort of instinctive intuition…that the earth is trembling again in Europe? Can you not feel…the gale of revolution in the air?"- _Alexis de Tocqueville addressing the Chamber of Deputies 29_ _th_ _January 1848_

September 1847

"I can't believe I let you talk me into going all the way down to Orleans!" Tsubasa rolled her eyes at her friend's outburst, they stepping from the horse drawn cab onto the paved cobblestones of the streets of Orleans.

The afternoon sun hung low in the sky, the streets were crowded with the well to do and the middle classes from all over France, all here to answer the call of the liberal opposition and demand reform to fix the crisis gripping the country and Europe. The buzz and ring of conversation filled the air, street vendors taking advantage of the crowds made it look like a carnival or a fair rather than a political meeting.

"Erena _ma chérie_. We're here to have fun remember, we are dressed for a night out after all." Anju spoke resting her hand on the visibly stressed Erena's shoulder, comforting her Merchant friend. The soft rustle of silk and satin coming from the gowns that they all wore, both Erena and Anju were decked out in a soft yellow and white combination the large hooped skirts making them suspiciously look a lot like wedding cakes.

Tsubasa looked guiltily down at her outfit, after continually telling Erena that she couldn't wear her black work clothes, because 'it wouldn't be sporting to wear black', she herself had gone for a simpler black and purple gown accompanied by a matching beret, the ride down had been not exactly calming because of this.

"There's no use moaning about it now that we're here." Tsubasa added, "You might as well enjoy yourself, it's only a small march then a banquet. You've been too obsessed with work these past few months."

"I've had good reason to be! The Market crashed! Banks are foreclosing on their loans, interest rates are increasing and credit is drying up! The government won't do _anything_ not with Guizot at the helm! Not to mention the price of food!"

"Erena you're boring people again, and you're working yourself up, how many times to I have to tell you we're here to enjoy ourselves and blow off some steam at the government, maybe apply a little political pressure here and there." Tsubasa winked conspiratorially at her two companions, something at which Anju giggled and Erena fumed.

"And that's another thing! You dragged us down here because you want to listen to these revolutionary speakers; you really think the government will listen? Because they haven't so far! And we can't do anything! They won't extend the franchise nor will they any time soon! Even if they did the ministers still won't be responsible to the Chamber anyway." Erena's voice broke her rant faltering temporarily. "Have you seen the poor? The unemployed? Living on the streets in squalor slowly starving to death. I contributed to that! I had to lay off three people since September began just to stay afloat." Erena stared at the ground the shadow from her hair obscuring her eyes. "I've ruined their lives" she whispered to herself.

Tsubasa's gaze softened seeing the plight her friend was in she looked at Anju both of them sharing a look of concern. Even through the wall dividing her room from the one shared by her two friends Tsubasa could hear the sobbing at night of the purple haired girl standing in front of them, they knew the plight she was in. she was always, empathetic and now with her small trading business on the verge of bankruptcy she felt guilty at ever y worker she had to lay off.

"Erena look at me." Tsubasa lowered her voice to a gentle tone, resting her hand on her shoulder soothing her slowly. Her friend met her gaze, her turquoise eyes glistening with tears "It'll be fine…we're all in the same boat here, _La Théâtre-Italien_ is already laying off stage hands and understudies are feeling threatened too. Wardrobe might be next and god knows my pool of work has dried up. Plus I saw some of your workers who you had to let go, they're doing fine, they told me, to tell you that you shouldn't worry, they found work. If you want, we can go back to Paris, and we'll be on the next train but I think right now we need to enjoy ourselves and relax a bit."

Erena nodded, slowly composing herself, wiping the tears from her face as she did so. "Ok. Let's go there might even be some people we know here…" she said a new smile on her face while she walked off into the crowd.

Tsubasa noticed Anju mouth a quick 'thank you' to her. It had been a lie, what she'd said about the workers, they weren't doing fine at all. She and Anju had seen a few of them on her way to work. But she knew that they all needed that lie even if she knew that Erena didn't fully believe it either. They needed this night of relaxation.

This relaxation from the anger at the problems plaguing their lives, from the anger at the government for being so intransigent in the face of the crisis facing France.

"Come on what are you two waiting for?" both she and Anju snapped out of their reverie and hurried through the crowd to catch up with their friend, politely pushing past the well-dressed gentlemen and ladies making up the crowd.

They mostly walked in silence for about a quarter of an hour, keeping a lookout for anyone they knew. It was another ten minutes before they spotted the waving hand beckoning them over, over the heads of the crowd.

"Yoohoo Tsu-chan~"

"Nozomi! I apologise _Mademoiselle_ Kira Mademoiselle Toujou here is still a bit in the dark about how we greet people in polite society."

Tsubasa rolled her eyes at the antics of the Russian émigré and her Romani mistress "Madame Ayase its perfectly fine, how many times have I told you not to be so formal with us? Call me Tsubasa Eli."

Eli looked at the ground sheepishly while Tsubasa's green eyes broke down her resistance. Her companion tittered lightly by her side at her discomfort. Eli smoothed her light blue dress with yellow highlights, her dress unlike Erena and Anju's hugged her body emphasising her hourglass figure, the bustle at the rear causing it to flare out, a bonnet sat on top of her blond hair with various dried flowers of all shades of blue and yellow adorning it accompanied by a baby blue silk parasol.

Nozomi on the other hand was showing a _lot_ of skin to be out in the 'so-called' respectable society her purple Romani robes, her light purple sash tied around her waist parted around her mid-thigh the piece of light and airy fabric draping down to the floor showing nearly all of her leg. More purple fabric was held in place by two brass bangles on her upper arm and draped down to the floor as well. The black top bordered by gold she wore left little to the imagination, what with it's complete lack of sleeves and plunging neckline that left her deep cleavage visible to the world, her stomach was open to the elements too. Everywhere else she was bedecked by gaudy jewels and necklaces, a pouch on her waist no doubt housing her tarot cards. Her piercing green stare however warned off any men who leered to long and her unruly purple hair flowed down her back parted into two pigtails.

Tsubasa noticed Erena staring at the purple haired Romani. "Oh, I forgot I haven't introduced you yet. Eli, Nozomi this is Erena my housemate and dear friend she runs a trading company brining in goods to Paris. Erena this Eli and Nozomi, a Russian émigré from St Petersburg and her…"Tsubasa coughed abruptly "entertainer Nozomi. They both live a few doors down from us actually."

"Me and Tsu-chan met her when she came backstage after the opera." Anju finished.

"Charmed…" Erena curtsied warmly to the two, who responded in kind, despite her earlier staring Erena seemed to have no problem with the way Nozomi was dressed. "So how do you two know each other." The merchant gestured to the two women who were beaming at the trio.

Eli perked up on hearing the question that Tsubasa knew she loved answering "Oh well, Nozomi here was running a fortune telling tent on the Champs des Mars one day outside a Gypsy camp, I went in at the behest of one of my friends to get my fortune told. This one here" Eli jerked her thumb in the direction of the enigmatic girl standing beside her "Told me that I should seize opportunities in front of me for true happiness, a few months later and I was in possession of at least three establishments across Paris their previous landlords having being prosecuted for corruption. I took her on as my own personal fortune teller immediately."

"That's not all she is." Tsubasa mumbled under her breath; while Eli continued the story, telling her of the improvements in her property empire after her ballet career fell through.

"Long story short" Nozomi interjected, seeing Anju and Tsubasa glaze over "She has become a hero of the working classes of Paris."

"Although even my popularity is beginning to wane, especially with the bread riots…If only I could do more! We all try but it just isn't enough! People can't suffer like that."

"Although I'm not sure I could take to working in the streets as often as you do Elichi. You need to take a break sometimes, be easier on yourself lean on your friends more." Nozomi pleaded "You came back with so many cuts after the riots helping clear the streets."

The group of women nodded collectively, Eli sighed a quick yes while each remembered the uproar that had gripped Paris more than a few times. The hungry people smashing their way to what they so dearly needed could not buy fairly, it had been a mess.

Tsubasa remembered one place in particular. Its owner a bright young ginger woman in a red dress sat weeping in the street amid the broken glass of her bakery. Tsubasa just went up to her and hugged her; she didn't even ask for her name just hugged her and said soothing things the woman crying for her ruined business, her potential destitution. She never knew what became of the girl who she comforted a year ago but the memory of the warmth of her tears on her shoulder stayed with Tsubasa; haunted her even.

"S-So how is your husband Eli?" Anju stammered trying to change the subject, and dispel the gloom that had fallen on them all.

Eli scoffed "Off with his mistress somewhere. We may be married on paper but I swear to god on high he's in it for the Ayase fortune! Not that I mind the _freedom_ his disinterest gives me." Eli glanced at Nozomi while she uttered the last sentence.

"Well, I thought you would've been in St Petersburg at this time trying to claim that fortune." Anju noted.

Eli scoffed once more "I find _French_ censorship stifling, I could never live in Russia, as far as I'm concerned I have a reasonably comfortable life and a moderate income the blood sucking vultures who are my old family are welcome to scrap over Grandpa's estate, so long as they don't drag my sister into this, I told her not to go to St Petersburg but mother insisted. Right now though I'm just down here to have fun."

"And to try to force some change from the government. It is a thinly veiled protest after all." Tsubasa said.

"Whenever you Parisians try to extract concessions you _always_ take it to the barricades, mark my words before spring begins you'll all be blocking up the side streets and calling for the fall of the monarchy."

" _Mesdames et Messieurs!_ " a male announcer shouted to the assembled crowd calming the murmur of conversation that had existed before, stopping the retort in Tsubasa's mouth. "We will now march to the venue for tonight's banquet if you please follow the representatives at the front of the crowd."

"So finally we're off then." Anju noted.

"Looks like it." Nozomi murmured,

"I know we all need to relax a bit so let's sit together and invite anyone we know as well! We can catch up on stuff with them too." The group swept up in the crowd shuffling along the streets of Orleans greeted Tsubasa's suggestion with enthusiasm.

The walk along the streets of the old provincial town was quite picturesque in the fading light of evening, the river Loire glinting in the sunset. Soon the crowd arrived at a large field where a long, richly decorated white tent stood, an expectant crowd having already gathered to listen to the inflammatory after dinner speeches.

They heard an announcement saying that entry would be granted in approximately fifteen minutes giving the girls more time to chat.

"Isn't that the girl who lives next door?" Anju asked interrupting the conversation, squinting over the crowd at some figures she had seen in the crowd.

"You're right. Come on let's go and greet them." Tsubasa pushed forward clearing a path through the crowd ignoring the harumphs and mutterings of the people she pushed past, enabling her friends to follow her to their goal.

The mop of red hair was quite visible in the crowd, accompanied by a blood red gown that evening a change from the usual white lab coat worn in the Apothecary. It was easy to tell who the owner of the hair was especially when she was paired as it always was with the long flowing deep blue locks of her companion who wore the long blue jacket over a slim blue gown all hiding her figure from prying eyes; both owners of the fantastic colours were locked in conversation with their friends, Tsubasa walked up behind them and tapped the tall blue haired figure on the shoulder.

" _Bon Soir_ Umi, Maki, how have you been today?" She said embracing the two of them in a hug. A few amused titters came from behind and from the other two girls at the fact that both women had exploded into violent shades of red that any revolutionary would die to have on their flag.

"F-Fine Tsubasa the usual mix of shop work, investigating medicines and drilling with _La Garde Nationale_ the only problem is that I haven't been able to get near a piano in weeks…and you?" Maki immediately twirled her hair around her fingers with one hand, the other subtly reaching for the hand of the girl next to her, both of them refusing to meet Tsubasa's green eyes which were staring intensely at them.

The brown haired girl sighed. "Not great, the past week I've just been kicking my heels around _La Salle_ _Ventadour_ so I suggested we all come here for some excitement. After we missed the one in Paris in July we just had to come and stick it to the king!" Maki huffed, while the others giggled at the childlike glee in Tsubasa's eyes.

Umi hummed thoughtfully considering Tsubasa's answer "Us too…We kept our ear to the ground hoping that the opposition would organise another one, and so here we are. Me and papa are actually trying to organise one using our connections in the _Garde_ "

"Oh that reminds me! Umi got promoted! She's now a Captain in our regiment" Maki piped up interrupting the blue haired girl in her story.

"Maki!" Umi hissed "I don't want to make a big deal about this."

"If I can't be proud of you then what's the point?" Maki whispered quietly, glaring at Umi; although not quietly enough for Tsubasa not to hear. She decided against telling them that she'd heard knowing that they would run screaming for the hills in embarrassment if she brought it up and that the chance to catch up with her two friends would be gone. The two women continued arguing however

She cleared her throat ending the quiet argument before anyone else less scrupulous heard something they could use against the two arguing women.

"Kotori, Hanayo how are you two doing? Are things going well at the shop Kotori?" Tsubasa turned her gaze to the two girls who were standing a bit awkwardly behind them, implying that they too had heard at least some of the argument.

Kotori's eyes silently thanked Tsubasa for her intervention before she snapped shut the fan she was holding. She shifted on her feet the soft cotton of her gown sighing as she did so, the elegant dress was obviously of her own design and making, the fine stitching barely visible and the elegant frills and folds of fabric gave the Ashen haired tailor an aura that only royalty could really achieve.

Hanayo on the other hand was wearing a Kimono, given her love of the far east and the Orient, this was hardly surprising the gentle pink silk decorated with elegant designs of cherry blossoms and swirling petals and patterns that all blended into each other made Hanayo truly look like a noble from the mysterious depths of Japan.

"It's been good Tsu-chan. Demand for the more expensive items has dried up considering the state of the economy, but I'm surviving. People need clothes after all. I'm more worried about mother she was let go by her latest family and she can't find a new charge… Oh Anju-chan about those costumes you wanted for Wardrobe…" Kotori wandered off to talk shop with the ginger girl stood behind Tsubasa.

"You've been quiet Hanayo, is there anything bothering you?" Tsubasa had made it her mission to look out for the librarian ever since they'd escaped from a mugging near the _La Salle Ventadour_ together after a performance of the latest Rossini where Tsubasa had been helping out and Hanayo wanted to get a look at the star of the show.

"W-Well." Hanayo nervously cleared her throat. "It's been alright I guess, the library has been quiet for the most part, so I can't complain it's just the usual filing and so on. The journey home has gotten more depressing though, and dangerous the unemployed workers on the streets mostly look sad but they can be threatening, if Rin-chan wasn't there a few times…"Hanayo trailed off. The girls all knowing what she implied "A-Although I would've liked to see your show with Verdi's new piece, but I couldn't make it, I didn't have the money."

"Hanayo…you should've told me I can always try to get you in. Me, Anju and Nico would all do the same." Tsubasa patted bespectacled brunette on the head gently encouraging her.

"R-R-REALLY?!" The light that took over the timid librarian's eyes despite her meek tone betrayed her love of the opera, that coupled with her adoration of the stars of the show, the Sopranos made Hanayo a regular of _La Salle Ventadour_ Tsubasa had taken it upon herself to get Hanayo in for free as many times as she could.

"I'll do my best. Guard's honour!" Tsubasa gave a mock salute while Umi and Maki protested about 'bringing their honour into this'

"And how've you been Tsu-chan?" Kotori's melodious voice interjected across the two guardswomen's protests

"I've seen better times…like most of France. It's nice to see you all here though." Tsubasa noticed something. Placing her hand under her chin, she scanned the surrounding crowd. "Where's Rin? Isn't she with us tonight?"

"Rin's in Paris, she didn't want to come…"

"I believe her exact words were 'Rin thinks that will be boring nya~ Rin would rather stay here and run around the rooftops'." Maki added.

The group burst into laughter, "That sounds like Rin alright, are you sure she'll be Ok though?" Eli asked

"Rin-chan will be fine, she knows the streets of Paris better than anyone else I can think of, I have faith in her, but that doesn't mean I can't worry." Hanayo's face matched her words, an odd mixture of pride nostalgia and worry flashing intermittently across the gentle girl's visage.

"Speaking of absent friends didn't you tell me that Nico would be coming with you a few weeks ago?" Maki asked politely

"The Soprano for tomorrows show had a fall and Nico was her understudy, so Nico tonight is probably rehearsing the lines she should've learnt and doing singing exercises. It's a shame too because I wanted to introduce her to you Hanayo, you both love sopranos more than the air itself so I thought you'd both be natural friends."

"Wait Nico is on stage?"

Anju shook her head. "Unfortunately not yet, there are tons of understudies and Nico has to prove herself first, but this is the best opportunity in a while so it's only natural that she would try to do everything that she can."

"So very soon you guys could know an actual Soprano?!" Hanayo's attitude did a 180 once more she shouting in Anju's face, passion burning in her eyes.

"M-Maybe…" Anju looked uncomfortable at the new aggressive Hanayo but the brunette quickly calmed down, processing the possibilities of what was being said.

" _Mesdames et Messuiers_ please take your seats. Our first course will be _Bisque d'Ecveisses_ followed by _Barbue à la hollandaise_ and for our _plat principal_ we have _Filet Migon à la Bordelaise."_ The announcement of dinner was accompanied by the opening of the tent flap.

The interior was a vision of luxury. Several round tables were spaced out around the tent, like one might expect in a high end Parisian restaurant with the speakers table at the end, each was covered in long white table cloths and plates bordered with gold paint were accompanied by several pairs of high quality cutlery, one for each course to be served.

The tent itself was adorned with all sorts of decorations, floral displays were at the centre of each table and the wooden rafters and sides of the tent were festooned with streamers of red white and blue. A large French flag hung at the back behind the speakers table so that the after dinner speeches would be given in front of the symbol of France. It was very obviously going to be an experience of high dining. Possibly a little more expensive than Tsubasa had realised.

The group found themselves at a table sitting around it, with just enough seats for all of them to be together. Their conversation was long gone from their mouths while they all marvelled at the spectacle all around them. Tsubasa looked across and could see that Erena was actually relaxing as opposed to counting the cost like she had expected the purple haired woman would've been.

As they took their seats waiter came round filling the tall elegant wine glasses at their side with a healthy dose of white wine. Tsubasa sniffed the greenish liquid before taking a sip. The slightly bitter taste making her shudder as it passed down her gullet. She never had been one for white wine.

The girls started chatting again about their everyday lives as had the rest of the tents occupants, and soon the flow of the human voice filled the air once more, men and women from all over France restarting their previously lost conversation. Tsubasa picked up the sounds of at least four provincial accents within earshot.

It wasn't long before the starter arrived. It was a thick creamy soup tainted orange by the obvious use of crayfish a few of them were arranged in a neat pile in the centre of the soup. The girls picked up their outermost spoon from the array of cutlery that was arranged before them, and began to gently sip the soup the warm delicate taste filling her mouth causing her face to involuntarily twist upwards in a smile.

Round of 'delicious' and 'delightful' were heard from the other girls surrounding the table, each praising about the quality of the soup, he quality of the wine, and just generally savoured the taste, although they all laughed when Hanayo said that she still like plain white rice better.

Dishes came and went always swept away but white gloved waiters in suits each accompanied by a new wine. There was flaky fish with a creamy yet slightly spicy sauce. The soft cutlets of beef that were served with a rich red-ish sauce that simply melted in Tsubasa's mouth and required little effort to chew or extract the rich flavour locked inside.

Each time the girls savoured the food laughing and talking the night away, with the sun growing lower, first illuminating the tent in an orange radiance before sinking below the horizon altogether, at which point various candles and torches were lit around the tent illuminating everyone in a soft yellow, orange glow.

The stress they had carried on their shoulders grew less and less with each passing dish and each bottle of wine. The roar of laughter that accompanied one of Nozomi's saucier jokes got them some funny looks from the surrounding tables, and multiple protestations and warnings from Umi about 'being shameless'. But none of them, except Umi, cared they had all come to enjoy themselves and, this they were determined to achieve. Tsubasa knew that even though she wouldn't admit it, Umi had smiled at the very joke she protested over.

Desert finally arrived in the form of a delicate slice of cake with a small amount of pureed raspberry around the side. Again the dish was accompanied by exclamations as to how delicious it was, except for Tsubasa. It certainly was tasty and light but, it just wasn't what she was used to.

"what's wrong Tsubasa? Is there something wrong with yours?" Umi asked her noticing the look of indifference on her face.

"No. No. it's good, it's just nothing like the pastries and cakes you usually give me in the morning when I run into you."

Umi thought for a few seconds. "Oh the ones that Honoka makes. It's a shame she couldn't come actually I had hoped to introduce you two finally but she said that something came up."

"You did mention that come to think of it Umi. Although I'm beginning to think that this Honoka friend of yours and Kotori's doesn't actually exist this is the third time she's pulled out of you trying to set us up."

"Well I can guarantee that she does exist and is one of the finest bakers in Paris. Shes ust a little free spirited." Kotori interjected.

Tsubasa hummed curious about the girl who refused to be caught "Hmmm well I really do hope to meet her at some point then…Wait you said Honoka made those pastries I thought Maki did."

No I can't cook Tsubasa, what gave you that impression?"

"I'm not sure I should answer that…"

"It's fine go on" Maki urged her, the other girls looking intsnely at the possibility of uncovering a secret.

"Well…whenever Umi 'buys my silence' with the pastries she's walking out of your shop early in the morning. Before you open so I assumed you gave them to her when she stayed the night."

Both Umi and Maki turned a furious shade of red both spluttering "W-W-Well you see father's sick and Maki gives me a discount on the medicine if I help make it which is an all-night job you see."

"But Umi-chan your father is-" a look of pain crossed Kotori's face while something stamped on her foot "is very unwell so what you're saying must be true…" she laughed nervously. A few girls looked sceptical about the answer but none pushed it further, although Nozomi practically exuded evil at this point.

The brown haired girl felt sorry for the two blushing guardswomen sat next to her. For all the effort they put in they really weren't good at hiding their relationship. Tsubasa recalled one night a few months ago when she'd been reading by the window and Maki hadn't shut her curtains or shutters, and what she saw…well it meant she couldn't look them in the eye for weeks afterward, she felt a blush rising to her cheeks now as she simply thought about it.

 _I really shouldn't have said anything_

"So Umi why do you need to buy Tsubasa's silence for a sick father? That's not particularly embarrassing." Nozomi smiled sweetly, although her eyes

Tsubasa winced at the probing question picking at a large hole in Umi's tale.

"Well-"

" _Mesdames et Messieurs_ we will now have our first toast." The chief speaker a member of the chamber of deputies rose a small glass of port in his hand. Waiters scurried around the tent filling the small glass vessels situated by each plate while they cleared the tent of all distractions; a bottle of port was placed on each table and the waiter left so the guests would be performing the multiple toasts themselves.

Umi sighed visibly glad at the interruption afforded to them.

"I hope you shall join me _Mes Amis_ in toasting the king for though we meet in opposition to his government, we wish him and his family well. We wish that his reign started in the fires of revolution goes uninterrupted in the coming storm whish we shall usher in. _Mesdames et Messieurs. Vivre le Roi!"_

" _Vivre le Roi!"_ The crowd echoed the toast before sipping the tart spiced wine they held.

"And now we come to the after dinner speeches." The speaker sat down and a moustachioed man in a suit took his place with a confident swagger, again he was holding a glass of port. Causing the girls to turn and refill their glasses while the speaker started his speech.

"France, France is in peril! _Messdames et Messieurs_ the ministry of Guizot must end. For too long that man has stifled reform, for too long have we been excluded by the corrupt inner workings of the kings court, by the likes of Guizot and Metternich and all enemies of liberalism Europe wide who conspire to deny us our rights to political participation. There have been too many scandals, too much corruption surrounding this ministry and I say to you _Messdames et Messieurs_ it cannot and should not stand!"

Cries of 'hear, hear' and _'A Bas Guizot!'_ could be heard from the crowd, the speaker paused to let his words sink in. Tsubasa didn't like the air of arrogance and superiority he gave off but still nothing he was saying was wrong, indeed she agreed with all of it like the other occupants of the table.

" _Messdames et Messieurs_ we are here tonight to call for reform. To call for a new ministry responsible to the chamber. To the People! I call upon the government to remove the property restrictions to the franchise! I call on the king to give us Universal Suffrage! A toast. _A Bas Guizot!"_

" _A Bas Guizot!"_ the crowd copied the toast again with enthusiasm. Tsubasa's shout a little louder than most drawing to her yet more attention.

Applause broke out, people finished their port and re-filled their glasses. Serenading the speaker when he strolled down from the podium and bespectacled gentleman took his place.

" _Mesdames et Messieurs_ I agree with my predecessor. We must have universal suffrage!" A round of applause broke out at the sentiment, causing the speaker to hold up his hand asking for silence. "But more than that we need Social reform!" the speaker paused expecting a response, and was rewarded with a few awkward claps. Obviously thrown off guard he cleared his throat and continued. "How many of you have seen the growing amounts of poor? How many of you have seen the overcrowded slums of Paris? Have you not been moved every time? The wretched conditions that these people live in need to be rectified. Laws must be passed to improve the conditions of the workers. No man should have to work for thirteen hours a day with no breaks in a squalid factory for a pittance. But more than that these people need the right to work! If they do not have this right then how can we as a society, as a nation develop and move forward? How many workers have had their lives ruined by callous employers laying them off left right and centre and can now find no new work for want of neither love nor money?

Tsubasa glanced to her side seeing Erena's hand tremble at the speaker's words, fear palpable in her eyes. The guilt of the workers she'd laid off coming back after she'd managed to forget for only a few hours. She heard the girl murmuring something unintelligible, the shaking spreading to her entire form.

Tsubasa moved to say something when she noticed Anju put her arm around Erena's waist, I the intimate delicate way that only she and Erena could share this simple gesture was enough to calm the shaking, to dispel the fear and guilt in Erena's eyes, Anju stared on ahead stony faced keeping up appearances, her mere presence comforting her friend.

The speaker meanwhile continued to harangue the crowd who were slowly coming around to his ideas, more sounds of agreement could be heard from the crowd more exclamations of support coming thick and fast.

"How many people here are on the verge of bankruptcy because of the economic crisis gripping our nation? Who among us would want to prevent the scenes we saw recently in cities all over France where hungry workers destroyed bakeries and livelihoods for the basic human necessity of food?"

The crowd all at once began shouting tier assent, their commitment.

"We can solve these problems _Mes Amis_ as citizens it is our duty to institute the social reforms that would improve the lot of the working man and woman, of the poor. It is our duty to use these reforms to better the lives of others!

Erena picked up upon hearing those words and began shouting her agreement, giving her support to the speaker.

"It is our duty to behave as the altruistic humans that we are! France needs to solve the social question before the anger that boils in the slums of Paris of Nantes, of Lille consumes us and blood is spilt. For this would only benefit the conservatives! A toast. To Social Reform!"

"To Social Reform!" the crowd rapturously acclaimed the words which only minutes earlier they had ignored, Erena shouting louder than anyone else on the table.

The head speaker took his place once more. " _Mesdames et Messieurs,_ that concludes the meal but if you wish to hang around afterwards and discuss then who are the police to stop us? I hope you shall join me in our final toast of the evening _Vivre la Reforme! Vivre la France!"_

" _Vivre la Reforme! Vivre la France!_ " As Tsubasa and the crowd echoed the words it occurred to her. That France and Europe were a boiling pot; and that unless something was done to cool the feelings that she and her friends held, the feelings that brought them; here of frustration and disenfranchisement; the pot would boil over. Once more unleashing the spectre of revolution of France.

* * *

 **A/N: So what did you all think? too obscure? let me know in reviews.**

 **also in this world the Declaration of the rights of Woman and Female citizen lead to a large amount of political power for women during the 1st revolution leading to a much earlier feminist rennaissance and concessions were made post FR/Napoleonic wars made in accordance with such.**

 **After this arc ends I'm considering turning this into a themed request page for revolutionary romance, so get thinking about what you'd like when and on what side they should be. Winners? losers? I'm open to any type of revolt or revolution such as the 1381 Peasants revolt to the Industrial Revolution. with any characters even Aquors (especially Aquors)**

 **I'll try to get this out on a by-weekly basis alternating with my other story but no promises when Uni starts again.**

 **Next Week: Revolutionary Radiance**

 **Glossary:**

 **La Salle Ventadour: An opera house in the 2nd Arrondissment of Paris it was the home of** _ **La Théâtre-Italien** _**thatre group which specialised in italian opera. Opera being like the idols of the mid-19th century for Europe**

 **Guizot:** **François Guizot effectively french prime minister prior to 1848. he stringently opposed any form of democratising reform famously responding to calls for a larger franchise by saying _Enrichissez Vous!_ which was like Marie Antoinette saying 'let them eat cake' the common saying of 'A Bas Guizot' which translates as 'Down with Guizot' was on the lips of many liberal demands at the time. **

_**La Garde Nationale:**_ **The national guard was a citizen militia force formed in the 1st French Revolution to defend the intersts of the middle classes as such it was drawn primarily from the middle classes the support of the guard could make or break a revolution in the mid-19th century**

 ** _Le Roi_ : (tr The King)the current king of France was King Louis Phillipe the 'Citizen King' brought to power in the 1830 revolution by 1847-8 the majority of hope surrounding the regime change had evaporated and the populace of Paris was quite hostile towards him and/or his ministers. **

**Chamber of Deputies: Like the House of Commons or the House of representatives, the lower house of the French Parliament. in the 1830s-40s it had very little power and even that was elected by a small fraction of the populace.**


	2. Chapter 2: Revolutionary Radiance

**A/N: Welcome back. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, we're actually in 1848 this time.**

 **I had a real dilemma as to what I should do with names. should I continue using the -chan -san etc that i normally write with or should i use the western method with French prefixes for immersion. In the end I compromised and used the French prefixes as a replacement for -san sama etc and kept the First name suffixes from japanese. let me know what you think and what you're preference is.**

 **that said i have use the phrase Mademoiselle multiple times so after the first instance I used the shortened version (akin to Mrs Mr in English) which is Mlle. so that for you non-French speakers is what the usage of Mlle means in this story.**

 **Italics represents thoughts or french, it will be quite obvious which is which but if you are confused let me know so i can change it in the future.**

 **Having bored you all to death with this long A/N I'll shut up and let you read.**

* * *

Amour et Révolution: Revolutionary Radiance

 _Have you not seen the light of reason? Of revolution which shall sweep the continent bringing civilisation and liberty in its wake?_ Anonymous commentator, France, 1793

22nd February 1848

"Wait Erena!" Tsubasa sleepily rubbed her eye hearing Anju's shrill cry, she wandered down the stairs towards the noise her white night-shirt flowing around her in the still air like a silken cape.

"No! You listen to me Anju, I am going to meet up with my friends today, and no matter how much you disapprove you can't stop us. The revolution is coming Anju and I need to atone for my ways and help the people be free from oppression!" Erena's reply was a lot more heated than Tsubasa expected from her.

"Erena please I just want you to be safe."

"Then stop getting in my way! _Adieu!_ " Erena slammed the door shaking the house and rattling Tsubasa, causing her to jump.

Tsubasa reached the bottom of the stairs, the sound of rain pattering on the windows and Anju's laboured breathing was all she could hear. Peering around the corner she saw Anju stood by the door her hand outstretched still trying to stop a phantom Erena. Her foot creaked on one of the floorboards causing Anju to jump, "A-Anju?" she asked warily, having been discovered

"Oh it's you Tsubasa..." Anju wiped her eyes, collecting the tears that were forming on the backs of her hands, drying them on the small apron that hung over her skirt.

"Anju are you ok?" Tsubasa saw Anju's hands tighten their grip on her clothes; she forced a smile onto her previously tortured face.

"Y-Yes. Why wouldn't I be?" her voice sounded hollow, fitting her fake smile.

"Anju you can talk to me about it if you want. I won't judge you." Tsubasa took a step forward, resting her hand gently on Anju's forearm. She took in her friend's appearance, it wasn't even eight in the morning and Anju already looked way too stressed. Her auburn hair slipping out of the harsh bun she had tied it into already, strands of hair blocking her eyes. It was odd Anju never wore a bun, and she never looked like _this_ , her trembling lower lip made it look like she had been working an entire day already. The only indication she hadn't, was her pristine light pink blouse and skirts that she wore around the house.

Anju wavered again, her inner turmoil spilling over onto her face, it was clear she was weighing up whether or not she should talk. A solitary tear made its journey down Anju's cheek. Tsubasa wiped it away with her finger. "I'm sorry Tsubasa. It's just…just…"

"Erena?" Tsubasa finished for her.

Anju burst into tears, her sobbing as soft as her voice. Tsubasa drew her into a hug, gently patting her back while Anju wept into her shoulder. "I'm just so worried about her; she's changed so much..."

Tsubasa nodded. "I know she's more left wing than she used to be, but I thought you liked that?"

Anju freed herself from Tsubasa's grip, her sobs subsiding. "I did. It was so refreshing after we went to Orleans when she started reading that socialist literature, and all those forbidden books. We had fewer arguments about politics than before." Anju smiled recalling the transformation that had her lover had undergone. "And she was so much more _passionate_ than before, so much more energetic, yet tender."

"I know I could hear through the wall." Tsubasa muttered under her breath.

"Did you say something?"

"Nope~" Tsubasa smiled sweetly. Anju narrowed her eyes slightly before returning to her reminiscing.

"But then she started staying out late. She neglected her work yet she was never here, she became more erratic. She kept telling me that we had to do something, something to change the world. When I asked her what she became all cagey."

"I don't remember that." Tsubasa looked at Anju confused.

"She kept up appearances, she was determined that no-one would find out even you. I only noticed last month." Anju took a deep breath. "I was cleaning our room and I saw her desk was open. Tsubasa her gun was clean, and it had ammunition."

"What?!" Tsubasa stood there shocked, the gun was only for how in case of burglars or other intruders. They never cleaned it and it never had ammo. "You can't be serious Anju. Erena hates guns. She hates violence!"

"I know…" Anju's lip trembled again. "I know that! So when she snuck out I followed her, she was meeting with these strange people. They didn't call each other names only days if the week, when I asked her about it she said they were friends from a club she joined."

"A club?"

Anju nodded. "I found this the next day." She walked over to a table in the living room with a book resting upon it. She picked it up and handed it to Tsubasa.

"The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later?" Tsubasa slowly read the title aloud turning the book over in her hands looking for anything mysterious "Dumas' latest work, other than that it's just an ordinary book Anju."

"Open it."

Tsubasa opened the cover skimming the pages. Her mouth fell open in shock. "These are formulae, measurements, for a bomb?!"

Anju nodded "Exactly, there are more plans further in to bomb the foreign ministry. I confronted her about them, I tried to talk to her, ask her why she has them, and…well you saw the result."

"Maybe she's not serious about this."

Anju's eyes began watering again. "I hope not, but I'm scared Tsu-chan. I don't want to control her to tell her what she can and can't think, but I love her too much to lose her." Her voice cracked

Tsubasa drew her sobbing friend into a hug again "It'll be fine. Erena's level headed, she won't do anything stupid."

"I want to believe you Tsubasa, I really do. But I keep thinking, what if she gets arrested? What if those new 'friends' of hers take her away from me? I don't even want to think what would happen if she got hurt somehow. I want to stop her to bring her back, but then I know she'll hate me even more, it'll make me a hypocrite, criticising the government for dictating what we can and can't do, and then doing the same to the woman I love…I'm an awful person aren't I?"

"No! No, Anju look at me." Tsubasa raised Anju's face looking into her troubled purple eyes. "You aren't an awful person at all, you're in love and we're all hypocrites when it comes to protecting those we love."

Anju looked away "Says the one who hasn't had her first kiss yet."

Tsubasa winced at the biting comment, her friend registering the look of hurt that flashed across her face.

"Sorry. That was uncalled for…"

The brunette smoothed down her friend's hair. "I know you didn't mean it, its fine. Deep down Erena is the same girl we know from childhood."

"Is she though?" Anju asked, her eyes searching for an answer. "I put my hair up in a bun today specifically for her. You remember how she hates them, how she'd always pull them out saying I look cuter…even when we were five, she'd put up with the scoldings she got after I pulled my hair out of this damned hairstyle covering for me." Anju ripped her hair out of her bun frustrated leaving a frizzy mess of orange on top of her head.

Tsubasa sighed. "I don't know what to say Anju, I think you need to have a nice long talk about this though. Do you know where Erena has gone?"

Anju shook her head. "I think she might be at the protest today though…you know the one about the cancellation of the reform banquet in the 12th arrondissment, she might be going there."

Tsubasa's face lit up. "That's great I had plans to go there today too, I'll look for her when I'm there." She saw Anju avert her gaze looking down at the floor. "Why don't you come with us, we can patch this up as a group."

Anju shook her head. "You go on ahead. I don't think she wants to see me right now, I'd like to go but I have to talk to Kotori about those costumes we need about now."

The brunette tried to protest but the downcast look Anju gave her told her otherwise. "Ok then I'll get changed and go look for Erena."

" _Merci Beaucoup_ Tsu-chan. You're a great friend." Anju smiled genuinely for the first time that morning and walked out of the door, a gust if the rain and wind blowing in through the door.

* * *

Tsubasa shivered at the buffeting drizzle and walked slowly onto the _place de la Madeline,_ she gawked at the crowd gathered on the steps and around the huge neo-classical Church. The leaders of the protest, journalists and thinkers of all stripes were standing beneath the massive roman style portico, milling in amongst the marvellous limestone columns of the church that looked a lot more like a pagan temple than a catholic church.

Men and women from all areas of Paris were gathered around in the rain, damp banners with their demands daubed on, hanging soggily above their heads. The expressions of calm and even excitement on their faces showed that even the weather wouldn't damage their enthusiasm. They were here to make a point. To have their voices heard by the government and by the king, and they were all determined that they would be heard.

Most of the participants, men, women and children looked like unemployed workers, their clothes ragged and filthy, made from scratchy wool and poor quality shawls and waistcoats their only implements to keep out the rain. Tsubasa smoothed her flowing white skirts guiltily, adjusting her umbrella, so that she didn't get her light chiffon blouse wet. The white ribbons adorning her hair bringing out her green eyes all marking her out as someone not as hard off as the hungry, tired desperate workers standing around her now. She wasn't the only person here with money though she spied several top hats and women in dresses fancier than hers.

Yet there was one thing to dampen their enthusiasm. The square was ringed with the familiar red white and blue uniforms of _La Garde Nationale,_ it was obvious that the authorities had no intention of letting the march go anywhere, nor get out of hand at all, and that any confrontation would result in them coming out of it worse off than the armed and trained guards. Tsubasa rolled her eyes at the strong presence on the square. She glanced down _La Rue Royale_ to the _Place de la Concorde_ seeing yet a line of red coats.

 _The municipal guard huh? If they're here then things might actually get bloody._ She recalled how hated the municipals were by the populace for their heavy handedness, any confrontation between the crowd and them would turn bloody.

Tsubasa frowned _Let's hope it doesn't come to that. To be honest I'm surprised there's a protest on at all what with the weather. Still these people…coming here in the rain like this, they must really be angry._ Tsubasa shook her head her mind returning to her objective. she cupped her free hand to her mouth "Erena! Erena! Where are you?"

She politely made her way through the jostling crowd calling out her friend's name, keeping an eye out for her usual black suit and top hat. After a few minutes of calling Tsubasa's voice felt like it was beginning to get hoarse, although it wasn't anything she couldn't handle, she was used to singing _very_ long arias after all.

The brunette kept searching and speakers began to give long impassioned speeches to the assembled crowd. Tsubasa only caught snippets of them such as 'We must reclaim the old rights of _Liberté Egalite et Fraternité_ 'or that the protest 'is a call to arms which all of France shall soon heed, including the King! Guizot must go!' despite the fiery rhetoric she kept her mind on her search.

Tsubasa was on the verge of giving up her search when she spied a flash of purple hair topped by a black top hat. _At last_ she rolled her eyes, half running half walking to her friend.

She tapped her friend on the shoulder "Erena…"

Erena jumped as though she had been hit by a bolt of lightning. Tsubasa jumped back a bit too shocked at the jumpy reaction. The purple haired girl whirled around facing her friend. "T-Tsubasa what are you doing here?!"

Tsubasa glanced over Erena's shoulder seeing a mix of young looking students and older looking workers. "I-I came here to try and get you and Anju to talk." She said looking at the group of people Erena was with warily. _Are those the 'friends Anju mentioned?_

Erena sighed "I knew she'd send you…I'm not going back Tsubasa we've got important things to be doing."

Tsubasa shook her head. "Erena you don't understand. I came of my own accord. Anju's really beaten up about this, she was crying after you left, she…" Tsubasa paused looking up at Erena's face. "She's scared Erena, she loves you too much to lose you. I'm not saying you have to forgive her or anything but just talk to her, talk this issue out please…you can't keep secrets like this from each other."

The purple haired girl remained silent. Her turquoise eyes gradually filled with rage "What do you know about it? Nothing! You're just here for Anju, to make sure you don't come under suspicion! You two keep trying to control me, you're both hypocrites! You just-"

"Erena!" Tsubasa yelled snapping the purple haired girl out of her rant. "I haven't seen Anju like this since her father died! And I don't think I need to tell _you_ of all people how that nearly ended."

Erena's eyes filled worry for the state she'd left her girlfriend in. She bit her lip. "She wouldn't do that again over something like this, the scars on her wrists are only just starting to fade…"

"I don't know. But I can say this she is distraught, Erena. _Please_ "

"I…I suppose after the protest I can go home and talk this out with her…it's not like she's doing these things because she hates me after all."

Tsubasa breathed a sigh of relief at the admission " _Merci Erena merci._ You know I could never let anything happen to you two especially something like this…" Tsubasa took a deep breath composing herself again "So do you want to join the protest together? I was answering the 'call to arms' anyway." She giggled at her little joke.

Erena looked away sheepishly. "Sorry Tsubasa, but I'm here with these people now. So…" Erena didn't need to finish her sentence the implication hanging heavy in the air, the atmosphere thickening with the awkwardness that was building up.

"O-Oh I see. Well I'll see you later Erena."

"Yeah See you later Tsubasa." Erena turned away clearly glad for the conversation to be over.

Tsubasa walked on, slightly hurt by Erena's rejection, and the lack of familiar faces in the crowd. Her mind was elsewhere stuck in her own world.

Suddenly her right foot gave way, she felt herself falling, she felt like she'd been tripped. She crashed into one of the people in the crowd who had been listening to the speaker stood on the steps of the Romanesque church.

"Ooof" She found herself in the arms of the person she had crashed into. She backed away quickly ashamed of her rudeness. "Sorry I really am sorry!" she bowed her head, her eyes screwed shut, apologising quickly.

The person spoke in a beautiful feminine voice, the voice of a person with natural enthusiasm and charisma "Hmmm, oh no it's fine. Really it's fine. Raise your head please, your embarrassing the both of us."

Tsubasa slowly raised her head taking in the full picture of the person she had collided with. Her mouth dropped to the cobbled street stones beneath her feet. She was stunning.

Her feet were dainty enclosed in leather boots, styled like those of a soldier, which poked out from beneath her dress. Flowing red fabric was lined with black frills that followed the contours of her dress, the skirts only flared out a little emphasising the curve of her waist. Her torso was closed off by a corset underneath the fabric, but it clearly wasn't pulled in tight or at all, merely providing support for her ample chest. Her neckline came a little lower than was expected in polite society and hovered around there wrapping itself around her body exposing the shoulders, two small sleeves encircling her upper fore arms completing the look. Both her neckline and sleeves were simply decorated with black lace fringing the edges of her dress.

But her face, her face. Tsubasa had been unsure whether true beauty existed in this world of pain. But the girl's dazzling smile nearly blinded her stretching its way across her soft full cheeks. The gentle curve of her button nose drew Tsubasa's gaze up to her eyes, eyes that were a more piercing blue than any clear sky, eyes that made Tsubasa feel the warmth of the summer sun even deep in February. They crackled and popped with an uncontained energy barely held in check. Her hair wreathed her head like a halo of flame, tied by a single yellow ribbon in a ponytail on the side of her head, the iridescent orange hair tumbling down her shoulder like a river of lava, even though it was slightly damp from the rain.

The brunette unconsciously fiddled with her hair, feeling inadequate all of a sudden next to this girl who _glowed_ in every sense of the word. She glanced at the girl's hands seeing the dainty elegant fingers outstretched towards her in a gesture of friendship, specks of flour coating her hands like drops of snow.

"Umm hello?" the girl waved her hand in Tsubasa's face trying to get her attention, snapping her out of her trance.

She stammered trying to find her ability to speak again. "Ummm ah er H-Hi!" she managed to squeak.

The girl laughed, the joyous sound pealing across the crowd like a wondrous symphony. "I don't normally have that effect on people, but you're cute you know? The name's Kousaka."

Tsubasa blushed slightly, the comment bringing her to her senses. "Ah I'm Kira, Kira-"

"Nice to meet you Mademoiselle Kira" the girl shook Tsubasa's hand vigorously.

Tsubasa's eyebrow twitched at the girl's energetic interruption. "L-Likewise Mlle. Kousaka. So what brings you here today?"

The girl stopped looking at the church in awe "Hmm, oh well I'm a baker by trade, and after the riots last year, the government didn't lift a finger to help me, the only comfort came from a complete stranger. I never even got her name, and I know that there are people here who are worse off than me, so we've got to do everything we can to help them right Mlle. Kira?!" The girl smiled her eyes burning with a passion unrestrained, by anything.

Tsubasa found she captive of those eyes once more replying instantly "Of course, that's why I'm here." Only when the girl looked away her attention diverted by the speakers on the church steps was the spell broken. Something about the girl rang a bell in Tsubasa's head, like she'd heard stories about her many times. "Mlle. Kousaka you are a baker right?"

"Yes why…" a look of confusion passed over the girl's face.

The penny dropped "If I might be so presumptuous is your first name Honoka by any chance?"

The confusion on the girl's face was quickly replaced by one of sheer amazement, she gripped both of Tsubasa's wrists pinning her in place. "That's amazing Mlle. Kira! How did you know that? You should be on stage with a talent like that!"

"No not really, it's just I believe our friends have tried to introduce us many times before, but for some reason it always fell through. My name is Kira Tsubasa I think Umi has tried to introduce us many times."

"You're Tsubasa? From the Opera?" Tsubasa nodded

Honoka looked shocked again, before clasping her hands together, over the brunette's. "I finally get to meet you! After all this time I'm so happy" the energetic ginger danced around in the drizzle, spinning her and the brunette around until they both felt dizzy.

"Mlle. Kousaka!"

Honoka stopped spinning "That won't do, you're such good friends with Umi-chan and Kotori-chan right? Plus I've heard so much about you, it's like we're already friends You need to call me Honoka!"

Her insistence took the brunette by surprise. "Well then Honoka-chan…it's nice to finally meet you."

"Likewise Tsu-chan~"

Tsubasa twitched at the nickname, but the look of happiness on Honoka's face stirred something deep within her heart. Something spoke inside of the brunette, drawing her to this ball of boundless energy.

 _I really should take the opportunity to get to know her better_ "I hope you don't mind Honoka-chan but could we stick together today, I was actually worried because I recognised no one in the crowd, maybe afterwards we could get to know each other a little better?"

A light blush dusted Honoka's cheeks, a look of awe passing onto her face. "Y-Yeah of course Tsu-chan I'd be happy to spend the day with you! Although we might not be here much longer the people are getting demoralised, they tend to disperse when that happens."

Tsubasa looked around. Honoka was right; the presence of the _Garde Nationale_ and the weather had dampened people's spirits, they were only listening apathetically to the speakers and most were just there kicking their heels against the kerb. A faint noise came to the brunette's ears. _A song?_ She couldn't quite make it make it out but it was a tune that grew clearer as it drew closer.

"Do you hear that?" She asked Honoka.

The ginger nodded. " _La Marseillaise._ " Other people in the crowd identified the tune to which the voices were singing, the crowd began humming along, the low threatening sound accentuating the song that was so many a harbinger of revolution and war.

The tune soon morphed into voices. Into lyrics that the crowd eagerly took up for themselves.

" _Aux Armes Citoyens!_

 _Formez vos Bataillions !_

 _Marchons ! Marchons !_

 _Qu'un Sang impur._

 _Abrueve nos sillons!"_

The soldiers surrounding the square fidgeted nervously, shifting on their feet, the crowd becoming more and more restless, with the crowd singing the rousing lines " _Que veut cette horde d'esclaves,_ _De traîtres, de rois conjurés?_ _"_ , causing some to blanch white with fear at the implications directed towards the _Tuileries_ , and causing others to hum along unconsciously, showing where their hearts lay.

Tsubasa looked up to see Honoka singing along peering over the crowd to see where the song was coming from.

"There!" Honoka pointed in the direction of the Seine. Tsubasa tried seeing where she was pointing, cursing her short height. "Come on Tsu-chan lets go, there are students coming to help us, the people need to know." Honoka grabbed Tsubasa's hand and ran off dragging her through the crowd; her umbrella fell from her hand while Honoka pulled her through the mass of people. The refreshing drizzle on her face and the firm tug of Honoka's hand in hers made the brunette feel relaxed for the first time that day.

Honoka kept going until she reached a lamppost she let go of her companion's hand earning a small pout from the brunette as a reward. Honoka smiled at her and began climbing the tall iron structure until she was well above the crowd's heads; she looped one arm around the post dangling precariously. Honoka took a deep breath and shouted. "Citizens! We have reinforcements! From across the Seine those students have given us the necessary courage, morally and physically! Come let us go to the Chamber while their songs stir our hearts as Frenchmen! We will be heard! To the Chamber of Deputies!" Honoka ended with a flourish, gesturing dramatically with her free hand across the _Place de la Concorde_ and the Seine to the seat of the French parliament.

The students arrived several hundred of them, all decked out with red sashes and banners, symbols of old, of the revolution. Honoka's cry was taken up by the crowd. The speaker stood a little bewildered on the steps of _La Madeline_ One came to his senses realising they should galvanise the crowd, he bounded down the steps his coat tails flying everywhere "To the Chamber of Deputies!" he yelled. The crowd surged forwards spilling out down the _Rue Royale_ and onto the _Place de la Concorde._

The _Garde Nationale_ quickly reformed responding to the sudden movement from the crowd and formed a tenuous line across the square with the river at their backs. The redcoats of the hated municipal guard stood out from the line of blue jacketed guardsmen making them an easy target for the crowd's anger at being blocked from their goal.

Tsubasa stood and watched open mouthed at what had just happened. "H-Honoka-chan?" she questioned. The thrall she had on the crowd the charisma she projected, the fact that she knew exactly what to say and when. The girl was a natural leader. Tsubasa wasn't sure how to feel, but she knew one thing that this girl Kousaka Honoka, was interesting, an enigma for her to unravel while she was caught in her fabulous wake. This girl would clearly change the course of history.

There was a slight thump when Honoka jumped down from her perch on the lamppost.

"Impressive isn't it Tsu-chan? I told you we needed to do something. Now come on we should go and join them, right?"

The brunette nodded dumbly; still in shock the ginger girl grabbing her hand again she pulled her new friend into the melee on the _Place de la Concorde_ a smile stuck on her face like this was an everyday occurrence _._

The clack of horses' shoes on the cobble stones signalled the arrival of the cavalry, Tsubasa turned and saw a troop of Green jacketed Dragoons astride their horses taking up positions with the Guard their arrival framed by the Egyptian Obelisk in the background thrusting into the sky just behind them.

Guardsmen and dragoons pushed back against the crowd as peacefully as possible slowly forcing their withdrawal. The dragoons' swords remained sheathed; the guard's muskets had no the ebb and flow of the crowd on that great square still held in it the pregnant anticipation, the fear, of bloodshed.

Tsubasa found herself once more pulled along in Honoka's wake enthralled by the spectacle of trotting cavalry men their green jackets just visible and their magnificent golden helmets gleaming in the distance, of the tall red and blue Shakos of the _Garde Nationale_ struggling against a crowd calling for reform, haranguing the part-time soldiers to join them or get out of the way.

"Hey Tsu-chan." Honoka paused in the middle of the jostling crowd, not a sign that she was tired unlike the brunette behind her who was bent over panting furiously. "I heard Umi is on duty today, we should go to the front and see if we can spot her."

Tsubasa looked at her uneasily. "Are you sure that's wise?"

Honoka looked at her "Nobody wants a fight here Tsu-chan. You can see it in their eyes, they're scared. It'll be fine." She took Tsubasa's hand again, gently guiding her through the raging torrent of people

"That's not what I meant. I mean Umi is quite strict with you isn't she won't she be worried if you're in a crowd like this?" she called after her

Honoka paused "I hadn't thought of that…"her smile faded briefly. "Oh well we might as well say hello, you never know it might calm things down. And it might be resolved peacefully"

 _She's right there,it might defuse the tension on both sides if we can emphasise the human element to both sides._ "Ok let's go."

Honoka jumped a little clapping her hands around Tsubasa's "I'm so glad you think so too, come on lets go." The ginger girl began dragging Tsubasa along like her enthusiasm had never been dulled.

The crowd got denser and more restless the deeper that she and Honoka plunged into it; the jostling of people from all sides was nearly unbearable. And the cries and chants of the crowd got louder, and more violent.

" _A Bas Guizot!_ "

" _Mort aux Municipaux!"_

" _Liberté pour tous!"_

The crowd's mood was also beginning to turn ugly, twice Tsubasa had tripped over holes in the ground where the crowd had ripped up stones to use as missiles, many of the men and women surrounding them now had looks of pure rage on their faces jeering at the red-coated Municipals in front of them.

Honoka stopped, turning around to see Tsubasa's face. "We should turn back, things might get violent here-"

Tsubasa couldn't hear the rest of her sentence, the crowd suddenly moved as one, the mass of bodies ripping her hand from Honoka's comforting grip. The man next to her threw the stone he had kept in his pocket at the Municipals in front of him, the people around responded in kind, taunting the soldier's under a barrage of rocks.

Tsubasa kept trying to push her way forward to find Honoka reaching out into the mass of people with an outstretched hand searching fruitlessly for the girl who had brought her here.

" _Tirer vos Sabres!"_ the cry came from the direction of the soldiers.

The crowd began surging back as though running from some danger pushing Tsubasa away from where Honoka was. She fought against the tide of people the exertion of pushing her way across exhausting. In the back of her mind a voice called to her telling her to run with the people, but a stronger urge overpowered her, the urge to find her friend once more.

Tsubasa saw a red coat in front of her, she kept trying to push her way past the burly man in front of her, too late she realised he was a part of the municipal guards. _So they forced their way into the crowd that's why people were running._ The man pushed Tsubasa to the ground roughly; there was a flash of steel and a searing pain before the world went black.

* * *

"-an"

A voice called to Tsubasa

"Tsu-chan !" She blinked one of her eyes open. Her mind was foggy _that voice it sounds familiar._ She couldn't quite place it though.

"Tsu-chan wake up! Are you Ok?" Tsubasa's vision came into focus she found herself looking up at the grey sky the cream coloured tops of the buildings of Paris surrounding her vision. But one sight dominated what she could see. Honoka stood over her a worried look on her face, her blue eyes watering slightly, her brow furrowed looking over the brunette's condition.

"H-Honoka?" Tsubasa sat up slightly her head pounded, and her right eye refused to open , her arm felt dull too but it ached at the same time. The shouts and sounds of the crowd reverberated in the distance

"Thank god" Honoka clutched Tsubasa in an embrace "I was so worried, I saw that guard cut you down with his sabre, and the crack when your head hit the floor…" Honoka shook her head "…I was so worried."

Tsubasa looked at her arm, seeing that it had a piece of ragged cloth tied round it in a crude bandage, the previously dirty white cloth stained red from the shallow wound beneath. She touched her forehead feeling the slipperiness of congealing blood leaking from a wound on her head, her eye fused shut by the dried blood. Tsubasa rubbed it freeing her eye from its scabby prison. She blinked it open

"I-I'm so sorry Tsu-chan, there was so much blood when you hit the floor..." Honoka sniffed, she mumbled incoherent words into Tsubasa's chest holding her tighter, tears threatening to escape from her eyes "I should never have brought you to a place like this. I-I got you hurt and we've only just met, but it feels like I've known you for longer." Honoka's voice was weak, so different from the energetic girl she had been moments before, she broke down sobbing into the girl in front of her.

Tsubasa looked over her friend's shoulder at the crowd and at the carnage left behind by the heavy handedness of the guards. Blood stained the cobble stones and the broken bodies of the injured littered the street.

A worker lay on the ground a few metres away, his face was a mess of carved flesh and blood, his white cotton shirt stained a dark black from the slash across his chest. His eyes stared up at the clouds unseeing. A crumpled heap of black cloth lay just behind him, it took Tsubasa a few seconds to realise that it was an old woman lying flat on her back her neck bent at a right angle the black pool leaking from her head not her shadow but her blood.

A small child was crying over her unmoving body gently nudging her trying to wake her up "Mémé? Mémé?" she cried not realising or not wanting to accept that her grandmother was dead.

Rage boiled in Tsubasa's stomach. She turned her eyes to the backs of the municipals ahead of her. They were responsible for this, for the death of that helpless old woman, of that unrecognisable worker, for Honoka sobbing into her arms uncontrollably. Only one thought was on her mind. Vengance! _They will pay!_

The brunette lifted up Honoka's head so that she could look into the ginger's eyes that were now puffy from tears. "Honoka look at me. This isn't your fault, it's _theirs_ " She pointed at the red coats still clearing the street in front of her. "We have to make this right, we have to rally the people against them, and we have to defend ourselves!"

Honoka blinked a few times wiping away her tears, her sadness replaced by a new emotion, the same as Tsubasa. Rage.

Honoka looked back at the brunette, her eyes burning with determination. "Can you walk? She asked

"Yes, I think I'm fine just a bit shaken that's all, and I got my dress dirty as well."

Honoka laughed at Tsubasa's attempt to cheer her up. "Good because we're going to need to get out of here."

She helped Tsubasa stand on her own two feet before turning back and shouting at the crowd still gathered in the _place de la Madeline_ "Citizens! To the Barricades! The blood of the people has been spilled! Now is the time to rise up!" she gestured wildly at the side streets ushering the crowd to go.

For a moment silence reigned over the square, people stopped to process what she had said. At that shaft of sunlight burst through the clouds up above illuminating Honoka in its warmth, Honoka's hair glistened, her eyes burned; the sunlight gave her an aura of fire, of determination.

Tsubasa found herself struck by her beauty, by the charisma, the magnetic pull towards the girl. But more than that she realised why she would follow Honoka to the ends of the earth, why she was so worried when she had lost her grip on her in the crowd, she couldn't quite remember what it had felt like to not know the energetic leader before her, even though their relationship was only hours old.

Her chest hurt her heart raced when she looked at those cobalt eyes that seemed to promise the world. She longed to be by the side of this girl forever, to follow her to the ends of the earth even if it killed her; to take the plunge with her into the bowels of revolution. _Is this what people call love?_ She asked herself.

The crowd responded they scattered running into the side streets calling Paris to arms. The guards who had been fighting back stood stunned at the turn of events until some officer realised what had happened and ordered their arrest.

Honoka grabbed Tsubasa's hand and ran off into one of the side streets the stamp of hobnailed boots on the cobblestones behind them. The ginger girl looked back and smiled at the brunette. "Hey Tsu-chan, we should stick together for now, don't you think?"

Tsubasa smiled back, her head ached her arm hurt like hell and there were soldiers out to get them, but that smile, this girl made it all seem so small so insignificant, like as long as she was with Honoka everything would be alright. She was more than beautiful, she was radiant, it was like she was the promises of revolution embodied, chaotic, energetic and hopelessly optimistic. And like those promises Honoka shone, she shone for the entire world to see Illuminating the brunette in her rays, wrapping her in her radiance.

And as they ran through the streets of Pairs hand in hand echoing Honoka's call to arms Tsubasa realised that she was more than happy to go along with it.

* * *

 **A/N: So that turned out a lot more allegorical that I intended**

 **Camay: thanks for your support I'm glad you like the idea, and regarding EreAnju I think it's pretty obvious that they are together, i always just assumed that was the case anyway.**

 **Don't forget to review and favourite :)**

 **Glossary:**

 **Municipal Guard: higher paid and much more zealous than the national guard these part time men had a lot of bad blood between them and the Parisian citizenry as well as a alot of resentment from the Garde Nationale and the regular line infantry regiments who policed Paris.**

 **Tuileries: the Royal palace in the middle of Paris where Louis Phillipe resides, better known today as the home of the louvre art gallery.**

 **Dragoon: A type of medium to heavy cavalry equiped with no armour straight swords and carbines.**

 **Place de la Concorde: the largest square in Paris directly next to the Tuileries and across from the building housing the chamber of deputies, it holds an Egyptian obelisk at its centre and sits at the end of the Champs elysees. it was the location of Guillotine used to execute Louis XVI sparking the Reign of Terror.**

 **Place de la Madeline: A small square near the Place de la Concorde beside La Madeline a large Catholic church housed in a Roman temple-like building built by Napoleon.**


	3. Chapter 3: The Blood of the People

**A/N: Ok First off I'm soooo sorry that I haven't updated in like weeks, I was on holiday then I got writers block, then I started procrastinating.**

 **Either way point is that I'm sorry and I'll try not to let this happen again**

 **Well on with the show.**

* * *

Amour et Rèvolution: The Blood of the People

 _Once blood is shed in a national quarrel reason and right are swept aside by the rage of angry men-_ David Lloyd George's memoirs 1936

23rd February 1848

Tsubasa blinked open her eyes, she yawned, her whole body ached from head to toe and resting on her shoulder there was something heavy and warm. The light of the morning was streaming in through the window next to her and the light forcing her to shield her eyes from its glare.

She looked around wearily, studying what she could see in the room, her shattered mind just registering the dirty wooden chair she was sat on, the cast iron stove in the corner, the dusty smattering of a carpet on the floor and the exposed wood of the walls and ceiling.

 _Where am I?_ Tsubasa asked herself. The events of yesterday were a blur, Anju crying in their house, Erena on the _Place de la Madeline,_ Honoka…

Tsubasa woke herself with a start _Honoka where is she?_ The warm thing on her shoulder shifted slightly, Tsubasa looked down to see Honoka sleeping, a musket by her side and her head peacefully resting on her shoulder. The brunette's breath hitched at the sight, the baker's hair shimmered in the early morning light like a crown of orange on her head. Her Honoka's wavy ginger locks were messy, sticking out all over her head in clumps and tufts, her yellow ribbon was dirtied by the dust and mud of the streets, but this only made her hair appear brighter.

Honoka shifted again on Tsubasa's shoulder a contented smile appearing on her face, the brunette smiled at that, noticing Honoka's arm resting on her bandage gently, as though she wanted to try and protect her and stop Tsubasa coming to any further harm in her sleep. Tsubasa looked as her skin glowed in the morning light, the gentle curve of her neck; the soft squishiness of her cheeks the ample view of her cleavage, that her dress gifted Tsubasa. It was all breath taking. The captivating baker-turned-revolutionary looked so strong in her sleep yet so vulnerable.

 _Just like her…_ Tsubasa giggled softly at the thought, remembering the time she'd spent with this fascinating girl yesterday. She glanced out of the window at the ad hoc pile of furniture, paving slabs and even a turned over wagons that was the barricade they'd built yesterday. Blocking off the street and providing defence, should the government decide to crackdown on them.

They'd run through the streets, even Honoka wasn't sure where they were, but all of a sudden she'd stopped, seeing some people starting to build a barricade in the street, Honoka had jumped up on a lamppost and given a speech, the residents applauded her and then both she and Tsubasa had started to help with the barricade.

It was surprisingly big for something that had felt like it took no time to build at all, but with the entire street helping perhaps that wasn't entirely surprising. Their day had been quiet musketry had crackled off in the distance and Tsubasa could feel the tension in the air as everyone expected a detachment of soldiers to sweep around the corner ready to arrest or kill everyone. But Honoka, she had stood firm, using a red table cloth she had tied to a pole as a flag she had watched over the street before them, ready to give advanced warning to the insurrectionaries below. Tsubasa remembered the awe inspiring sight, of Honoka atop the barricade, the wind and rain tugging at her hair pulling at the red fabric of her dress causing the flag to flutter like an enchanting red background.

The sun occasionally broke through the clouds, its rays bathing Honoka in brilliant light, making her look like an angel sent forth to deliver the revolution to the people of France. In that moment Tsubasa had known while this woman was on their side they couldn't fail, Guizot would fall and the Municipals would pay. _It's like heaven itself is blessing her_ Tsubasa had thought _the sun always seems to shine for her, on her, or maybe she is the one who is shining..._

But now that same girl who looked so indomitable, so formidable standing on the barricade yesterday, was asleep on her shoulder, snoozing, like some dog by a fireplace. Tsubasa looked down at Honoka's lips, remembering those speeches she had given. They looked soft, those small pink petals that framed her mouth, they looked soft, moist, inviting. The brunette found herself leaning towards Honoka.

 _She looks so peaceful, so at ease, so resilient yet exposed._ Tsubasa's mind raced, her heart pounded as she leaned in closer, closer, closer. She wasn't sure what she was doing, all she knew was she wanted to feel _how_ soft those lips felt, to feel that strength Honoka had shown her yesterday on her lips.

"Mmmm Tsu-chan?" Honoka blinked open her disarming eyes, halting Tsubasa's progress her lips only millimetres away from Honoka's.

Tsubasa froze, her blood raging through her system now flooding her face, transforming it into a perfect crimson. "A-Ahh Honoka! You're awake."

"What're you doing Tsu-chan?" Tsubasa drew her head away, stuttering, she saw a slight blush on Honoka's cheeks. But the brunette's mind was too busy flailing around for an excuse, any excuse to save her from this embarrassment, to notice.

"I-I'm just, uhhh, You've got some dirt on your face, so I was going to clean it for you." Tsubasa brushed the imaginary dirt off of Honoka's face, taking the time to discreetly feel the warmth of her cheek beneath her fingers. "T-There, it's all gone now"

Honoka held her hand up to the cheek that Tsubasa had just caressed, a slightly reverential look on her face before she broke out into a huge grin. "Thanks Tsu-chan, I sure would've looked stupid going out there with dirt on my face." Honoka laughed, while Tsubasa forced a nervous giggle.

Honoka looked outside at the barricade; the brunette sat next to her could've sworn she detected a whiff of pride about her before she noticed the weather. "Tsu-chan look! It's sunny outside now! We need to get out there now it looks like a really nice day to rally more people to the cause, we might even cause the King to give real power to the chamber!" Honoka's eyes sparkled with a childlike wonder as she looked out of the window; like she'd just proposed an outing to the beach not an overthrow of a government. "Come on Tsu-chan let's go!" Honoka snatched up her pouch of cartridges and her musket and dashed for the door.

Tsubasa rose slowly from her chair, cradling her injured arm carefully making her way through the dim worker's house. _That girl really is unique; sometimes she acts just like a dog, others like a child, and others like a leader._ Tsubasa giggled _she is cute though, no matter how she acts._

"Tsu-chan hurry uuuuup" Honoka poked her head through the doorway, her cartridge pouch slung over her body, like a dead animal.

"Coming, coming." _No matter how she is though I'll still follow her until the end of time._

Tsubasa picked up the musket that Honoka had found her from a table near the door before walking out into the early morning sun. She watched the lively ginger bound up the one storey high barricade like a mountain goat.

Honoka stopped and waved at her from the top watching Tsubasa half stumble half crawl up the messy pile of wood and stone, the brunette occasionally using her musket as a walking stick. Tsubasa shivered, the shadows of the surrounding buildings adding to the brisk February air. "Oi Tsu-chan come on." The ginger yelled

"I'm trying Honoka-" Tsubasa's foot slipped on a paving stone that had been worn smooth, for a moment it looked like she'd fall. She banged her wounded arm against the barricade; a hiss of pain passed her lips at the incident. The injured brunette heard Honoka gasp, followed by scrambling as Honoka hovered over her.

"Are you Ok?" there was a hint of panic in her voice.

Tsubasa smiled at the ginger's concern. "I'm fine, I just banged it is all." she winced.

"I'm sorry, I forgot you were injured I should've stopped to help you…" Honoka's smile twisted into a melancholy frown, her eyebrows knitted together in concern.

"It's fine, really it's fine Honoka-chan-" Honoka silenced Tsubasa's protests, picking up her discarded musket and looping one arm under Tsubasa's, she dragged her to her feet, supporting her weight. She refused to let go until they had reached the top of the barricade.

The end of the street was in plain sight, the sound of distant musket fire echoed throughout the city, and mixed with the sounds of the rioting gangs that roamed the streets.

Honoka's flag was planted into the barricade, both girls, looked out over what remained of the smooth cobblestones, the rest now forming part of the barricade that they sat on. They sat in silence, but it was a comfortable silence, one where nothing needed to be said because each girl was simply content to be around the other.

"Tsu-chan you hear that?" Honoka's outburst made Tsubasa jump, she listened but could only hear the twittering of birds and those distant sounds of street fighting.

"No what is it you-" Honoka silenced Tsubasa once more, slowly the ginger girl picked up her musket and moved cautiously a little way down the barricade, taking cover.

"Honoka what are you-" Tsubasa was cut off again by another sharp 'shhh' from the gingers lips.

"If you listen you'll hear, I might be wrong, but I want you to listen and tell me what you hear." Tsubasa listened, at first nothing had change, but then she heard it.

Drums

The steady rattle of snares drummed out an unmistakeable sound. _A marching tune,_ Tsubasa recognised it instantly, with its steady beat designed to keep even the most uncoordinated of soldiers in step with his comrades.

She turned to Honoka fear in her eyes. Honoka nodded before looking down into the street where some of the defenders who had helped build the barricade yesterday were milling around with their weapons, or getting breakfast after waking up.

The ginger let her musket rest on the barricade for a second while she cupped her hands to her mouth. "CITIZENS!" she yelled at the top of her voice. "The enemy approaches, we either fight here! And gain victory over those corrupt forces in power, who would direct our own countrymen to slaughter us. Or we may flee and be cut down like dogs. I have made my choice, Now to the barricade!"

The street below became a flurry of activity. The men in the street clambered up the barricade, dislodging a few loose paving stones, people rushed out into the street with ammunition and food was well as weapons to sustain the 'troops' in the fight to come, window shutters flung open as men and women alike took up firing positions and hung out flags and ribbons showing their support for the revolutionaries, the long dull grey snouts of their muskets and rifles glinting in the sunlight, alongside the red flags and, _Tricolores_ of France.

The drums drew nearer and nearer, their roll reminiscent of the drum roll before the executioner dropped the axe, adding to the tension. Piccolos and other wind instruments became audible, but still the tension remained as thick as butter in the air.

Tsubasa hurriedly loaded her weapon, expecting the worst, ramming in the gunpowder and the lead ball into her musket.

Then she saw them; the unmistakeable blue jackets and black boots of _La Garde Nationale._ Tramping along slowly, deliberately up the street, their flag aflutter ahead of them bedecked in gold braid with their regimental number embroidered into it. Their officer was leading them and she was sat astride a red horse, whose hooves clipping echoed up the street. There were fewer of them than Tsubasa had expected, and _something_ seemed familiar about this regiment. She looked at the regimental colours once more.

"Honoka, that Umi and Maki's regiment!" she hissed quietly.

The ginger nodded in agreement "I think Umi-chan is leading them as well." Tsubasa took another look at the officer on the horse, this time noticing her long blue hair that spilled out of her shako and the piercing Amber of her eyes and the confident air with which she carried herself. Tsubasa scanned the front row of guardsmen and women, most of whom were fiddling with their muskets nervously, it was clear they didn't want to be there. She spied a mop of red hair, standing near Umi, worried purple eyes constantly flicking towards the officer, concern written into her face.

Honoka frowned, the atmosphere was too tense, and one false step would be disastrous, too many people would die in the shooting that followed. Honoka looked back over her shoulder cupping her hand to her mouth again "Hold your fire, we aren't the aggressors here perhaps they will be reasonable!" Honoka yelled at the jittery crowd behind her before standing up, grabbing her flag and running halfway down the barricade on the other side. Tsubasa followed her a few seconds later discarding her musket too. She half climbed, half slid down the ad-hoc defences they'd built towards Umi, who was dismounting from her horse.

The blue haired officer fiddled with her pockets on her jacket finally removing a crumpled piece of paper, she opened it up and cleared her throat. "By royal proclamation of His Majesty the King Louis Phillipe of France and his First minister…" boos greeted the mention of Guizot's position, Honoka held up her hand hushing the crowd clustered behind the barricade, Umi shrugged not looking up suggesting she had received this treatment before. "I am empowered to negotiate with, you the citizens of Paris, to implore you to lay down your arms and remember your fealty to the crown, and the nation of France." Umi tucked away the piece of paper back into her Jacket, sighing at the daunting task that greeted her.

"Umi-chan!" Honoka yelled, the guardswoman jumped startled by her name being called down from the barricade.

"Honoka? What are you doing up there? Get down now you'll hurt yourself, and you're rebelling against the state! What have I told you about that?"

"Umi Join us, I know you, I know your regiment, you would all rather be on this side of the barricade with us fighting for what is right!" Honoka held out her hand calling her friend to join her.

Umi sighed again. "I want to Honoka but I have my orders, and those are a sacred duty Honoka you know that. It doesn't matter what's right I can only follow what I have been told to do."

"Come on, I know you have all seen the plight of the people, felt the injustices we have been subjected to!" Honoka called out again addressing the nervous and unenthusiastic guard regiment. "I know you would rather right those wrongs at the ballot box than the barricade but so would we, we don't take up arms against the Nation lightly! We do this because we have been forced here by that man, that _aristo_ who sits in the foreign ministry right now ordering you to kill your friends, your sisters and brothers, your families all to preserve his corrupt regime!"

Tsubasa noted a few nods passing like a wave over the blue-coated militia in front of her. It was obvious which side of the barricade their hearts lay on, even if they were stood at the foot of it. She caught a glimpse of Maki who was twirling her hair with her free hand and fiddling with her sword in the other.

Umi walked to the foot of the barricade, the potholes ripped out of the street making her gait unsteady. "Honoka please you know that I would" she gestured to the neatly organised square of men and women behind her "That we would all rather join you, but we have our orders, stop this violence please."

"OH for god's sake! To HELL with orders Umi!" Maki strode forward and mounted the barricade, joining Honoka's side. "Come on men! We all know which side you'd rather be on!" Maki waved her arm at the red flag fluttering in the breeze at Honoka's side. A few guardsmen broke ranks running up the barricade, their ammunition pouches jangling as they ran; a few were stopped by their sergeants and shoved back into place.

Tsubasa opened her mouth realising how crucial this moment, this one point in time was. "If you join us victory is assured, we'll finally get the reform we want. What will you get by standing with the other side and putting down this revolution? Nothing! That's what!" her powerful singing voice belted her message across the street for all to hear.

More men and women started their journey towards the barricade, even some of the tough NCOs who had stopped men before joined the rapidly growing trickle of guardsmen flowing over the barricade.

"Come on Umi, you were at the banquet in Orleans just like me! Join us" Tsubasa continued, silence reigning as everyone held their breath.

"Umi-chan we don't want to fight you, please, pleeease join us." Honoka pleaded with her friend, the remaining soldiers of the regiment watching intently for their officer's reaction, for her wishes to be known.

Tsubasa's heart fell when she saw Umi give an almost imperceptible shake of her head, it was obviously forced, but that didn't matter. They had failed. She heard Maki sigh next to her and Honoka before the stubborn redhead stalked her way down the barricade muttering to herself, the brunette watched Umi's gaze rooted to the ground instead of following her companion like it normally would, until Maki stood in front of Umi once more. The blue-haired noble looking shamefully at her feet

"Umi, look at me." Maki's voice was soft, but there was a force to it an undercurrent of authority that caused Umi to raise her head, her eyes still stubbornly refusing to look into Maki's face.

"W-What is it?" she asked "I told you I _can't_ join them Maki." Maki nodded, then shrugged before she looped her arms around Umi's neck.

Umi blushed, a blush that only increased in intensity when Maki planted a kiss full on Umi's lips. Tsubasa saw Umi's eyes widen and her body stiffen before she closed her eyes and melted into Maki's embrace returning the kiss almost unconsciously, like she had done it a thousand times before.

 _Well knowing them she probably_ has _done it a thousand times before,_ Tsubasa smiled at her own snarkiness, watching the two lovers break their kiss to a cheering crowd.

Umi was bright red and Maki had a healthy blush on her face too, Tsubasa could only just hear Umi stammering from where she stood, before she worked up the courage to actually form full words again.

"M-M-Maki what are you thinking? Doing something so shameless out here in public!" Umi tried sounding forceful but her stammering made it clear how flustered she was.

"If you don't get over the other side of the barricade right now I'll keep kissing you with all these people watching until you do." Maki delivered her ultimatum with cool composure that contrasted with the mess that she had reduced her lover too.

Umi blanched at the threat, although Tsubasa could see a portion of her thinking that it might not be so bad to refuse her girlfriend, Umi nodded her head and broke away from Maki's embrace. She motioned for her remaining soldiers to join the troops on the barricade to rapturous cheering.

Umi took her regimental colours from the colour bearer and marched with Honoka to the top of the barricade where she planted it alongside Honoka's red standard of revolution. The crowd erupted into cheering some embracing their new comrades from the _Garde Nationale_ a few celebratory musket shots sent puffs of smoke into the air surrounding the barricade.

Tsubasa marvelled at the sight, noticing that Umi was subtly holding Maki's hand; at least it would have been subtle if she wasn't as red as Maki's hair. Tsubasa smiled before feeling someone clasp her own hand. She looked up to see Honoka beaming at her, musket in hand, her grin disarming and hopelessly beautiful.

"Come on Tsu-chan~ we need to go." Honoka gently started leading Tsubasa away from their barricade her melodious voice singing in Tsubasa's ears, the same feeling of calm descending as she had yesterday when Honoka had dragged her away from the _Place de la Madeline_

"Where are we going Honoka?" she asked

"Hmm, I've no idea; maybe we can find Rin and Hanayo." Honoka looked back at the barricade shouting to Umi "Umi-chan! Look after that place we'll see you soon!"

* * *

"Are you sure Hanayo and Rin will be at the _Bibliothèque Nationale de France_?" Tsubasa looked nervously around the streets, while a gang of armed workers sprinted past armed with Iron bars and makeshift clubs.

"I can't be certain, but if they will be anywhere it'll be there! It's big and safe and nobody would dream of attacking it on either side." Honoka skipped along jumping over a small pothole in the road, people from a barricade down a side street saluting her as the ' _Héroïne de La Madeline'_. She waved back, grinning with that infectious smile of hers.

The sound of fighting now dominated the streets of Paris, the fierce fire-like crackle of musketry increasing in intensity by the minute. What worried Tsubasa was that it appeared particularly violent up ahead. The unending buzz and noise sounded like a restless tempest of violence and was coming from just over the other side of the street.

Even though where she and Honoka were was calm, signs of the fighting were all around them. The smashed shop windows, the iron fences torn down to make clubs, the stones torn up to throw at the authorities and the bullet holes that marred the walls, a chilling reminder of the power that the muskets she and Honoka now clutched in their hands possessed, capable of tearing out chunks of masonry and human flesh with frightening ease. Tsubasa picked up the pace sticking as close to Honoka as possible basking in the girl's aura to calm her nerves.

Honoka stopped at the crossroads, gripping her musket tighter. Tsubasa didn't like it the streets leading off in all directions made her feel exposed; their gaping maws appeared to be signs pointing towards them inviting danger.

Tsubasa turned Honoka's perfect blue eyes to face hers; boring into them with an intensity the unlikely injured revolutionary hadn't been able to muster in this girl's presence yet. "Honoka, we should keep moving, this place feels wrong. Off."

Honoka nodded "I sort of understand what you mean Tsu-chan…Come on _Rue de Montmorency_ the library is this way!"

Tsubasa followed the girl close behind, while she dashed down the even narrower street. Tsubasa squinted at another larger set of crossroads up ahead. The storm of musket fire was just up ahead now and Tsubasa could see gun smoke rising above the rooftops ahead of them, the acrid tang of gunpowder burning her nose.

"Maybe we should find another route Honoka…this one doesn't look safe!" Tsubasa had to shout now the noise of battle up ahead was so intense.

Honoka looked up at the crossroads and at the street sign picking out the words _Rue Bourg l'abbé_ "Yeah you're right Tsu-chan! There's a gun shop up ahead and everyone will be fighting over-"

A musket cracked closer to home than before. The loud 'Bang' shaking Tsubasa to her core. The corner of a building overhead crumbled showering both girls with white stone fragments and dust. Both girls shrieked and Tsubasa ran for Honoka grabbing the ginger's hand and pulling her into the nearest building. Both of them landed on top of one another.

The dust settled and both girls stared at each other panting, they were shaken. Tsubasa saw the fear in those big expressive eyes Honoka had, she laced her fingers with Honoka's silently trying to comfort the trembling mass below her. Tsubasa pulled Honoka up, holding both her hands gently. She started laughing, almost hysterically, at the shocked look on Honoka's face earning her a dirty look.

"What's so funny?" Honoka demanded

Tsubasa wiped a tear from her eye "It's just…It's just you are too cute when you scream. I hadn't seen that side of you yet" she giggled even more at the pout that appeared on Honoka's lips

"God! Tsu-chan you the most embarrassing things." Honoka puffed out her cheeks a blush appearing on her face.

"Ohmygosh! Honoka-san?! Tsubasa-san?! I'm so sorry!" Tsubasa turned around to see a flustered Hanayo in the doorway, a red rosette pinned onto the breast of her plain dull green kimono that she would wear to work. It looked as though she had been crying.

"Hanayo-chan!" Honoka rushed to Hanayo's side hugging her friend, forcing Tsubasa to reluctantly let go of her hand. "Are you Ok? Were you crying? What happened?"

"It's fine Honoka-chan, it's just…"

"Just…" Tsubasa prompted her.

"I'm really, really sorry! I accidentally shot at you two!" Hanayo bowed prostrating herself before her friends, like Tsubasa had heard they did in the Far East.

"You what?!" the shock on Honoka's face was priceless.

"I thought you might be municipals and my glasses were broken earlier today, but by the time Rin-chan had let me know it wasn't them I'd already pulled the trigger…" Hanayo started tearing up at the memory. "I didn't hurt you two did I?" She pleaded "I could never forgive myself if I did…"

Tsubasa stepped forward lifting Hanayo up. "Of course you didn't, you just gave me and Honoka here a fright that's all, there's no harm done." Tsubasa could see Hanayo was unconvinced. She leaned in whispering into the younger girl's ear "You know you did make Honoka-chan here squeal in a really cute way~"

Hanayo smirked "Really?"

"Yep" both of them giggled softly.

"What are you two whispering about?" Honoka asked.

The two girls both laughed even louder. "We were just talking about you Honoka~"

"Eh? What were you saying about me?"

Tsubasa smiled a knowing smile "That's a secret…" she winked at the annoyed girl in front of her.

"God, Tsu-chan you're such a meanie you're like Nozomi-san"

Tsubasa ran her hand along Honoka's arm in a comforting gesture "Sorry Honoka-chan, we'll stop teasing you now…"

Honoka pouted again, but it slowly transformed into a trusting smile at Tsubasa's words. "So Hanayo-chan where's Rin?"

"Ah Rin-chan is across the street in the building near the cross-roads."

"Huh that place?" The older brunette looked down the street at the maelstrom of gunfire "What are you two doing there?"

"Well we heard from Erena-san that you and Honoka-san were hurt by the municipals and Rin-chan got really angry so when she heard that she could shoot at them here we came here from the library."

"That doesn't sound like the Rin-chan I know…"

Hanayo nodded "I think she would've just been angry if she hadn't listened to that rumour that you two were trapped in the shop _des_ _Frères_ _Lepage_ she decided to try and save you two. "Hanayo clapped her hands together "Oh! Rin-chan will be so happy when she sees you are safe."

The three girls picked up their guns and stole across the street moving from cover to cover, doorway to doorway just in case another jittery shooter who was a better shot spotted them. Bullets and musket balls pinged off of the walls and roofs of the buildings surrounding the crossroads showering the streets in dust and tiles. One building looked like it had been eaten at by moths it had so many bullet holes in it. There wasn't a pane of glass that was left un-shattered by the amount of lead streaking its way through the air.

Hanayo ushered them in to the building through an old wooden door that worryingly had a few holes in it too.

Tsubasa bounded up the stairs which were filled with the smoke from insurrectionists firing out of loop holes all along the walls. Bullets from the other side occasionally replied shattering another window, or taking out a chunk of wall and furniture. Or hitting a person and passing through them in a flurry of bone splinters, blood and screaming.

"In here" Hanayo pushed them into a small room on the third floor occupied by a familiar figure with short ginger hair aiming a musket. Rin was wearing her usual clothes, her dark tattered tweed jacket and dirty trousers that used to be white were accompanied by sturdy boots, useful for running all over the city.

Hanayo coughed to draw Rin's attention. Rin pulled the trigger, dropping the spring-loaded flint into the flash pan on her musket in a flurry of sparks igniting the flammable black powder within, in a bright white flash that followed milliseconds later by the loud bang and kick of a donkey from the weapon itself. Rin laid down the fired gun, smoke still coming from the barrel peering through the now smoky room to see Hanayo and the others.

"Kayo-chin is that you?" the street girl was wearing her one piece of extravagant clothing, her yellow silk scarf that Hanayo bought her for her birthday three years ago.

"Yeah it's me Rin-chan and look who I found." Hanayo pushed Tsubasa and Honoka forward into the light from the gloom of the hallway.

Rin jumped forward when she realised who it was "Nya~ Tsu-chan, Honoka-chan, I'm so glad you're safe!" Rin grabbed the two of them pulling them into a crushing hug. Tsubasa was taken aback for a bit by the hug, but she soon followed Honoka's lead and embraced the former street urchin.

"So what now?" Honoka asked gently, peeling Rin away from herself and her suffering companion.

Rin looked out the window at the carnage outside. "Rin thinks we should stay put, something has to give soon right?"

Honoka and Tsubasa walked to the window seeing a scene of utter devastation. The crossroads outside were streaked with the blue stripes left behind by ricocheting bullets, the same was true of the walls. Pieces were missing from every building but one appeared to be taking the brunt of the murderous crossfire out there. Clouds of smoke drifted lazily across the streets and sparks glittered across the cobbles when bullets skipped across them like stones on a pond.

"Hmmm it seems like a better idea than being out there…" Tsubasa mused to herself.

Honoka slapped the window sill, "Then it's settled we're staying here until all this dies down." The girls all nodded and slumped on the few pieces of furniture that dotted the room. The noise was deafening but at least none of them were in any immediate danger.

"I heard from a journalist that the king had summoned Guizot to the palace…" Hanayo began filling the girls in on the details of what had happened that day, apparently the Municipals and the few guard detachments loyal to the king had been cut off and disarmed by gangs of revolutionaries, the King's position was weaker than it had been before and his hated first minister had been summoned to the palace. Apparently she was on his way to the chamber now and he did not look happy. Tsubasa and Honoka smiled at the news, Guizot's fall would make reform inevitable and all that they had fought for would be accomplished.

Suddenly a bullet pierced the window again shattering the mirror on the other side of the wall, a fragment of glass hitting Rin in the face.

"Rin-chan!" Hanayo jumped up rushing to her friend's side. She pulled Rin's hand away from the wound looking at the blood dripping down the street rat's forehead. Hanayo paled "there's so much blood" she whispered to herself. Hanayo ripped off part of her Kimono sleeve wrapping it, with shaking hands around Rin's head as a bandage.

"Hanayo get Rin downstairs away from the windows she'll be safer down there" Honoka was already by the window grabbing a paper cartridge from her pouch ripping it open with her teeth "We'll pay back the bastards who did this." She said ominously ramming down the powder and ball into her gun.

Tsubasa grabbed her own musket from the floor and poured her powder into the muzzle and the flash pan, she rammed the lead ball down the barrel, hearing it rattle while it fell.

"Honoka-" Tsubasa began looking at the girl for reassurance.

Honoka met her gaze, Tsubasa's heart jumped into her mouth when she looked at Honoka's sublime beauty "I know Tsu-chan I'm scared too I've never fired a gun at a person either…"

Tsubasa opened and closed her mouth, in awe of Honoka's honesty. "Together?"

Her ginger companion nodded "Together."

Tsubasa raised the musket, the gun was a lot heavier on her arms than she had first thought, and her hands were trembling with fear or fatigue or both she didn't know. "On three…" she began counting down, at three she pulled the trigger with her entire hand because it was so difficult and stiff to budge. There was a deafening bang and Tsubasa closed her eyes at the flash that went off right by her face. Her shoulder felt like it had been punched by a prize fighter. Her ears were ringing and her heart was pounding.

She opened her eyes tasting the sharp gun smoke in the room, Tsubasa looked at the weapon in her hands with a sense of awe at its power, Umi and Maki had told her what to do and what it was like but still... She looked at Honoka who was standing mouth agape at her weapon too.

Two bullets crashed through their window sending both girls scrabbling for cover. Tsubasa Hurriedly reloaded shoving the ramrod down after another bullet. She fired again, seeing a red jacketed Municipal poke his head above a window sill in the gun shop, looking for targets. She reloaded again and was amazed at the man's bravery still exposing himself to the buzzing storm of metal. She fired at him and she saw him go down after that, but she couldn't tell whether or not she had been the one to hit him or whether it was one of the other apparently hundreds of guns that had picked him as their target either way he only appeared to be wounded.

The next moments of her life passed in a blur of reloading and firing, reloading and firing. Hours passed or it might have been minutes or seconds, all sense of time faded away all that mattered to her was the girl at her side, and the nest shot, each time she prayed that this one would be the one to scare away the guards or cause them to surrender. Honoka's fumbling hands passing her ammunition occasionally, and her barrel grew hot radiating its heat into the room making it stuffy even in February.

Tsubasa heard Honoka yelp suddenly. She looked at her companion her face blackened by the residue of the gun smoke, a small cut on her head caused by chipped masonry had a dried up dribble of blood streaking down one side of her face "Honoka-chan you alright?" she asked a touch of panic rising into her voice.

The other girl looked up cradling her hand still held in a claw shape "I'm fine Tsu-chan" she smiled, but it was a smile twisted with hidden pain. "I just scalded myself, is all."

"You should go and get some butter on that."

"I think this place has an ice house I remember something about it serving that new Iced Fruit dessert I'll have a look."

"Be careful-" Tsubasa caught herself before she finished the entire embarrassing sentence _because you mean too much for me to let you get hurt…_

Honoka flashed back a smile "I will, don't worry."

Tsubasa waited a few tense minutes, worrying that every bullet she heard hit downstairs might have hit Honoka, finally Honoka reappeared clutching a lump of clear ice in her hand meltwater was already dripping onto the floor steadily.

"See I told you I'd be careful. There's no need to be so worried Tsu-chan~" Honoka teased a rumbling outside caught their attention, the gunfire that had melted away into the background stopped abruptly as everyone looked at the building that had taken most of the bullets on the opposite side of the crossroads start to collapse.

The lower walls simply gave in and the whole structure came tumbling down filling the road with debris, and sending dust into the atmosphere.

Honoka gave a low whistle "I didn't expect that to happen…is that even possible, to demolish a building by shooting at it too much?"

"I'm not sure Honoka, maybe now they'll quieten down a bit before they cause any more damage-" A musket shot interrupted her sentence and the whole hornet's nest was kicked up again. Tsubasa sighed.

She slumped against a now bullet-ridden sofa with Honoka at her side, "How long do you reckon this will go on for Honoka?"

"Until someone comes and stops us I suppose, we're violent by our nature."

Tsubasa rested her head on Honoka's shoulder. "That doesn't mean it's right though."

Honoka smoothed her hair gently, "No, no it doesn't Tsu-chan, but at the very least you and I know that…"

She smiled at that, at the feeling of Honoka smoothing her hair and comforting her, she wished that the bloody shooting would stop just so she could have some time in silence like this with this wonderful girl. Tsubasa blushed _Wait what am I thinking?! Is this even right I've barely known her for more than a day. And yet why won't my heart calm down?_ Tsubasa wanted to scrunch up her hair and scream.

"Hey, Tsu-chan?" Honoka asked

 _Oh god she can feel my heartbeat, she can tell how nervous I am…._ Tsubasa took a deep shaky breath in a futile attempt to calm herself down "W-What is it Honoka-chan?"

"Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Tsubasa squeaked.

"Outside it sounds like…marching?! Come on let's take a look." Honoka rushed to the window while Tsubasa breathed a sigh of relief.

She got up and joined her ginger companion at the window. Looking down into the square she noticed the shooting stop leaving only the sound of boots against the cobblestones and a slight ringing in her ears. Down in the square she saw the reason, resplendent in blue coats and red trousers. " _La Garde…_ What are they doing here?"

Honoka shrugged "I'm not sure but maybe they've come to mediate…look that's Étienne Arago, he help found _La Reforme_ and _Le Figaro!"_ Tsubasa squinted at a man with a receding hairline walking out under the white flag of truce towards the municipal positions.

Footsteps thundered up the stairs and both girls turned to see a flustered and panting Hanayo burst through the doorway.

"Hanayo-chan! Is there something wrong?"

"Rin-chan is fine. Have you heard the news?" the petite librarian said between breaths

"About _La Garde_ yes we can see them…"

Hanayo shook her head "No. Not that, I just heard from one of the guardsmen, they say Guizot has been dismissed by the king, a reformist ministry has been set up!"

Both girls looked at Hanayo stunned, "Really?" Asked Honoka.

Hanayo nodded.

Tsubasa couldn't believe the elation she felt. The Fall of Guizot was staggering, It meant the revolution was over! They had won, the violence could stop now!

"Tsu-chan…we won!" Honoka cheered enveloping Tsubasa in a crushing embrace, which the brunette returned as they danced around the room cheering. Hanayo joined in

They had won it was finally over.

* * *

The rest of the day passed in a blur, heading back to Honoka's shop to clean themselves up, the celebrations that erupted onto the streets, the wine that flowed from looted cellars, the entire city was gearing up for one big, if tense party.

The barricades had yet to be dismantled, republicans still harangued and demanded more concessions (even the fall of the king himself) and troops were still deployed in the street, but now it couldn't be long before everything settled down, _Could it?_

But Tsubasa tried putting these thoughts at the back of her mind and just enjoy the brisk evening air; the coloured lights hung from street lamps illuminated the wide _Boulevard des Capucines_

"Hey Tsu-chan isn't this great? We won right, and now I get to celebrate with a pretty thing like you~" Honoka slurred next to her, a bottle of red wine was clutched in the ginger girls hand and her face was coloured by the alcohol.

"Honoka! Give me that" she made a swipe for the wine bottle "And don't say those sorts of things!" Tsubasa scolded, _at least not here._

"Eh but I want to have some fun~ all we've done is listen to that boring man outside his office on _Rue Lepeltier_ can't you have some fun with me?" Honoka pouted.

Tsubasa smirked "who do you think I am Umi-chan?" she took several gulps from the wine bottle feeling the bitter alcohol slide down her throat morphing into a warm fuzzy sensation. "You know Honoka, I kind of had fun these past few days, even if we did get caught up in a revolution." The two girls laughed as though Tsubasa had just said the funniest thing in the world. Tsubasa sighed happily and linked her arm with Honoka's

"Where are we going next?"

"I guess we just follow the crowd…"

"Hmmm, that boring…" Honoka took a deep breath before shouting over the murmur of the crowd. "Hey Citizens, Why don't we head to the foreign ministry? It's on this street right, that way we can show that Bastard Guizot what we really think of him!"

The crowd cheered raucously echoing Honoka's call, with cries of " _Vive La Reforme!"_ and _"A Bas Guizot."_ But now they added _"Vive l'héroïne de la Madeline!"_ Tsubasa and Honoka giggled at that little addition and rushed down the wide street with the crowd before it halted abruptly.

In the torch light the two girls couldn't see what was going on; Honoka tapped the burly worker in front of her on the back asking what the trouble was

"Some soldiers are blocking the road, but we should be able to reason with them."

Tsubasa nodded dumbly, hearing a distant cry of an officer. " _P_ _réparez vos Baïonnettes"_

A shot burst through the night air, Tsubasa felt time slow down as though this was a turning point in History. A volley of muskets cracked in front of them, spitting flame and sending people around her sprawling, those that were still standing, ran.

The tide of people pushed against her and Honoka racing them up the boulevard.

"This is it; they're going to kill us all!" Someone shouted.

"They shot at unarmed civilians!" cried another.

Tsubasa felt her arm slip loose from Honoka's she made a violent grab for her companion's hand but people pushed into the gap pulling them apart, the screaming was deafening. Everyone was running from the inevitable second volley, somewhere she heard Honoka call her name. "Tsu-chan!" "Tsu-chan!" each time getting more and more panicked. Tsubasa wanted to reply but the weight of bodies pushing her along was crushing and she couldn't say a word,

Her feet were lifted off of the ground until she was thrown to the floor, people kept running, trampling on her with their huge feet, Tsubasa screamed and tried to cover her head but the feet just kept stamping. Stamping. Stamping! She closed her eyes and waited to die.

* * *

Tsubasa nursed her bruised head behind the shuttered windows of Honoka's bakery, she was shaking, her hands weakly clasped themselves around a cup of tea, but she hadn't drunk a drop and by now it had gone cold.

Honoka said nothing merely keeping an eye out of the window expecting the government crackdown. But Tsubasa knew the fear in her eyes wasn't because of soldiers, it was because she had let Tsubasa go.

She had let her go, and Tsubasa had nearly been trampled to death.

In the end there had been no second Volley, but Tsubasa had kept her hands over her head long after the crowds had gone, silently crying in fear and pain. Honoka had found her like this, and now she was ashamed because she had no idea that Tsubasa had been hurt this badly while she cowered in her hole. Tsubasa had told her that it didn't matter, that she was Ok, but that hadn't done much to help.

They made their way back to Honoka's bakery, both of them shaken and in shock. Honoka had made tea but neither of them touched it. Honoka had apologised endlessly for letting go, for not having a stronger grip, for not going to her side sooner. Each time Tsubasa had forgiven her, but Honoka had yet to forgive herself.

The sound of hooves and cart wheels on the cobbles drew her attention, Tsubasa got up, slightly nursing her bruises walking to the window. Honoka opened up the shutters and they both leaned out to see a horse and cart drawn by a bare-armed muscular worker, on the cart were five bodies, those that had been killed earlier that night. One was a young girl her white dress half stained red by her blood. A worker walked behind the wagon, furiously shaking his torch crying out " _Vengeance! Vengeance! Ils_ _massacrent les peuples !"_

A crowd had gathered on the street in awe of the surreal spectacle that seemed to be from the end of days itself. A child on the cart looked ahead almost as though his eyes were unseeing; it was like the spirit of vengeance possessed the child.

"The King must fall." Honoka said quietly.

"Huh?

"The King must fall! He spilled the blood of his own people! There is no pretending now that we can control this. The only way this ends is if we as the people exact our vengeance." Honoka looked Tsubasa in the eyes her brilliant blue orbs smouldering with an intense anger "I swear to you Tsu-chan I'll make them pay for what they did to you!"

* * *

 **A/N: So looks like even those of you who don't know french history will be able to guess what comes next :p**

 **How did you like a taste of revolutionary street fighting? I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it.**

 **not much to add to the glossary this week**

 **Glossary:**

 **Flash pan: the part of a musket for priming powder, found next to the touch hole ( a hole connecting it to the main powder charge in the barrel)**


End file.
